Sydney, Australian intelligence chief Mike Burgess has verified claims linking the Indian intelligence agency, RAW, to the assassination of Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Njjjar.

According to a news release by Kashmir Media Service, Burgess, in a recent media interview, corroborated the Canadian government’s assertions that point to India’s responsibility for the murder. Burgess emphasized that the assassination of a Canadian citizen should not spiral into a diplomatic rift between India and Canada. He deemed any act of a nation resulting in the death of another country’s citizen as a grave matter. Assuring the local Sikh community, Burgess committed to ensuring their full protection within Australia.

At a recent assembly of the Five Eyes intelligence alliance in California, Burgess stood in solidarity with the Canadian stance. Additionally, the New York Times reported that information sourced from American intelligence alludes to the direct involvement of the Modi government in the assassination of the Sikh leader.

The backdrop of this international tension is the killing of pro-Khalistan advocate, Hardeep Singh Njjjar, which took place outside a Gurdwara in Canada on June 18, 2023. The incident has since ignited diplomatic strains between India and Canada.